Cartridge-carrier



L. R. FERGUSON. CARTRIDGE CARRIER.

Patented Apr. 14, 1896.

HDREW B. GRAHAM. PHUTOUTHQWASMNGTOM. D.

(NoMdel.)

IJEVIS R. FERGUSON,

PATENT OFFICE;

OF HARVEY, ILLINOIS.

CARTRIDGE-CARRIER.

` SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Application tipa April 16, 1895.

To all whom t may oon/067%.-

Beit known that I, LEwIs R. FERGUSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Harvey, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Cartridge-Carrier, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in cartridge-carriers.A

The object of the present invention isto provide a simple, inexpensive, and durable form or construction of cartridgecarrier which is adapted to be carried upon the person and supported from the shoulders of the wearer.

Afurther object of the invention is to provide a cartridge holder and carrier which may be attached direct to the vest or other garment of the wearer or be made separate and independent thereof and supported by means of suitable straps passing over the shoulders.

Another object of the invention is to provide the delivery end of the carrier with a spring actuated dropper attachment, by means of which the shells may be dropped into the hand of the operator one at a time.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of follower, which shall operate to prevent the backward movement of the cartridge-shells when the hunter assumes a stooping posture.

To accomplish the Vobject above enumerated, the invention consists in certain novel features and details of construction and arrangement of parts, as is hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of an improved cartridge-carrier constructed in accordance with this invention and applied to and supported upon an ordinary vest. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the device, showing the manner in which the follower engages the inner wall of the pocket in which the shells are placed. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section through the lower end of the carrier-pocket, illustrating the manner in which the dropper attachment operates to release one`of the shells and out off or prevent the escape of the p Patent NO. 558,057, dated April `141, 1896.

Serial No. 545,947. (N0 model.)

other shells. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the pivoted dropper-frame. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the follower. Fig. G is a detail perspective View of one of the hooked plates with which the follower engages.

Similar numerals indicate corresponding parts in the several igures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, l indicates a garment,which may be either the vest or coat of the wearer, to which is secured, by stitching or in any other preferred manner, a vertically-extending pocket 2, made of canvas or leather or other flexible material. The garment itself is preferably lined with some stiffening material to form a suitable backing to the pocket 2 and also to prevent the perspiration from aidecting the shells contained in said pocket. At its upper end the pocket 2 is provided with a transversely-extending metallic plate 3, riveted or otherwise secured to the inner face thereof and serving to hold the upper end or mouthpof the pocket in proper position for the introduction of the shells.

Above the mouth of the pocket 2 and secured to the body of the garment is a iiap 4, which is adapted to overlap andproteet the mouth of the pocket, said iap being provided with a downwardly extending perforated strap adapted to engage a buckle 5, secured to the outer face of said pocket, as shown.

At the lower end of the pocket 2 the latter is provided with a metallic chute or mouth 6, which is substantially rectangular in crosssection and riveted or otherwise secured to the lower end of the flexible pocket 2. The opening in the base of said chute is inclined, as indicated in the drawings, and located therein is apivoted cut-off or guard 7, which is adapted to prevent the accidental escape of the shells. Said cut-off is pivoted at the lower extremity of the chute, as indicated at 8, and extends approximately half-way across the mouth thereof, being provided with laterally -projecting trunnions 9, which pass through and slide within segmental slots lO in opposite sides or walls of the chute G. The cut-off 7 is normally held outward or in a position to prevent the escape of the shells by means of a spiral spring 1l, surrounding the pivot of said cut-0E and bearing at one IOO end against the rear inner wall of the chute 6 and at its opposite end against the inner face of the cut-off 7.

In order to operate the cut-off 7, a dropper frame or attachment 12 is provided, which consists, essentially, of an oppositely-disposed pair of side plates or wings 13, arranged upon opposite sides of the chute 6 and pivoted thereto, as indicated at 14, and a connecting web or plate l5, lying just in front of the chute 6. The lower extremities of the side plates or wings 13 of the dropper-frame are slotted, as indicated at 1G, and adapted thereby to stride the laterally-projecting ends of the trunnions or spurs 9 on the cut-off 7. The dropper-frame 12 is normally held in the position indicated in the drawings by means of the spiral spring 11, which acts upon the cut-off, and through said cut-oft` upon the dropper-frame. The dropper-frame is fui ther provided with an inwardly-extending flange 17, preferably formed integrally with the cross-bar 15 and adapted to be projected through a transverse slot 18 in the outer wall of the chute, said flange serving as a cut-olf to prevent the downward progress of all except the lower shell. It will be apparent that by this construction as the lower cut-Off 7 is rocked out of the way to permit a shell to be released from the lower end of the carrier the cut-off 17 will be simultaneously operated to hold back the remaining shells.

Secured to the inner wall of the flexible pocket 2 are a vertical series of plates 19, each provided with integrally-formed downwardlyextending hooks or bent portions 20, said plates being riveted or otherwise secured in place. After the desired number of shells have been introduced into the upper end of the pocket 2 a carrier 21 is placed therein above said shells, said carrier comprising a substantially semicylindrical pocket- 22, adapted to receive a single loaded shell for imparting the necessary weight thereto for carrying said followerdownward as the shells are extracted from the lower mouth or chute 6. Secured to the upper portion of said cylindrical pocket 22 is a curved guiding-plate 23, in front of which is secured a pivoted plate or pawl 24, provided with a hooked or bent upper end 25, which is adapted to engage the downwardly-projecting hooks on the plates secured to the inner wall of the ilexible pocket 2, as above described. The pawl 24 is held in engagement with the hooks on the inner face of the pocket 2 by means of a spiral spring 26, surrounding the pivot of said pawl and operating to force said pawl away from the guiding-plate 23, as shown.

By means of the construction above described it will be seen that as the shells are dropped from the lower end of the carrier the follower will descend and by means of its spring-actuated pawl 24, engaging the hooked plates on the inner wall of the pocket 2, the upward movement ofthe shells will be effectn ively prevented when the hunter assumes a stooping posture, in a manner that will be readily understood. To manipulate the device, the operator holds his hand beneath the chute 6 and presses the pivoted dropper-frame inward, thereby withdrawing the lower cutoff 7 and allowing the lower shell to drop into his hand, at the same time pushing inward the upper cut-off and preventing the escape of the shells above the same. Upon releasing the dropper-frame the remaining shells drop downward, the lower one taking the place of the one just extracted. It will be apparent that the carrier may be made as an attachment to a hunting-vest, as shown, or as an independent carrier to be suspended by straps from the shoulders, and it may be adapted either for the right or left side, according to the desire of the sportsman.

The cartridge-carrier above described possesses the following advantages-namely, the weight is borne at the shoulder instead of at the waist, as in the ordinary construction.

The shells are thoroughly protected from rain and snow and are therefore kept dry an d prevented from freezing, as they are likely to do when exposed as in the belts ordinarily e1n ployed.

The cartridges are all withdrawn at the same place and in the same manner, thus enabling the shooter to manipulate his gun much .more rapidly than in other contrivances in which there is a separate place for each shell and where each shell has to be withdrawn from its own separate receptacle, thus causing delay in finding and withdrawing shells in rapid firing.

By supporting the weight of the carrier and the shells upon the left shoulder the weight of the gun, as it is carried upon the right shoulder, is thus equalized.

By means of the construction described it is also possible to withdraw two shells by pressing two times upon the dropper-frame in less time than is usually required to obtain one shell where the ordinary cartridge-belt is used.

The device is very simple, inexpensive, and durable and will be found thoroughly efficient in practice, being adapted to be manipulated with great ease and rapidity.

lt will be apparent that various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim is 1. ln a cartridge-carrier, a flexible pocket adapted to be secured to a garment in substantially vertical relation and to form part,I

of said garment, in combination with a hollow metallic box or chute secured to the lower end thereof, a pivoted cut-off partially closing the discharge-opening of said box or chute,l a pivoted and independent dropper frame or attachment for operating said cutoff, and a spring for returning both the cut- IOO IIO

off and dropper-frame to their normal positions, substantially as described.

2. A cartridge-carrier comprising a pocket of iiexible material, a hollow box or chute secured to the lower end thereof, and provided with an open mouth, apivoted cut-off for preventing the downward progress of the shells, a pivoted dropper-frame for operating said cut-off for the purpose of releasing a shell, and an additional cut-off carried by said dropperframe, said parts being arranged and adapted to operate in the manner specified.

3. In a cartridge-carrier, a flexible pocket adapted to be supported upon either shoulder and provided at its lower end with a hollow box or chute having an open mouth at its base, in combination with a pivoted cut-off extending across said mouth, a spring for actuatin g said cut-off, laterally-projecting trunnions or spurs carried by said cut-oif and projecting through segmental slots in the side walls of the box or chute, and a slotted and pivoted dropper-frame operating in connection with said trunnions for withdrawing said cut-off, and a supplemental cut-off carried by said dropper-frame and operating through an opening in the front wall of the box or chute at the lower end of the flexible pocket, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a cartridge-carrier, a flexible pocket provided with a series of hooked plates arranged within the interior of the pocket and secured thereto as described, in combination with a follower having a pocket for the reception of one of the shells and provided. with a pawl for engaging said hooked plates, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

5. In a cartridge-carrier, a iiexible pocket provided with an interiorly-arranged series of plates riveted or otherwise secured thereto and provided with downwardly-extending hooks, in combination with a carrier having apocket for the reception of a cartridge, a pawl pivotally mounted on said carrier and adapted to engage the plates upon the interior of the pocket, and an actuating-spring for holding said pawl in engagement with said hooks, substantially as described.

G. In a cartridge-carrier, a iiexible pocket or chute provided with a series of interiorlyarranged hooks or projections, in combination with a follower having means for engaging said hooks or projections for preventing retrograde movement of said follower within the pocket or chute, substantially as and for the purpose speciiied.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LEWIS R. FERGUSON.

\Vitnesses:

MADISON B. DowERs, WM. L. CORYELL. 

